A mass of cold air blowing through northern Vietnam has caused heavy rain and frost at high altitudes over the weekend.
The weather turns icy cold, icy raindrops, hanging from tree branches and flowers. According to the National Center for Hydro-Meteorological Forecasting, the high mountains of Lang Son, Lao Cai, Lai Chau, Cao Bang and Ha Giang provinces are being hit hard by this three-day cold spell, the Hanoi Times reported.
At Phia Oac in Cao Bang Province. Photo: Zing
On top of Mau Son Mountain in Lang Son Province, frost and heavy rain appeared at 3 a.m. along with the thick fog. The place recorded sub-zero temperatures on February 20 at 10 a.m., the lowest in Vietnam during this cold period.
The sub-zero temperature would remain overnight and early morning in Mau Mountain for the next one or two days.
The ice has covered a large area on top of Mau Son Mountain. It is even thicker in some less windy places. It is expected that tourists will continue to flock to the site for the next few days to witness this rare natural phenomenon in a tropical country.
According to meteorologists, the past few days have been the coldest since the start of the 2021-2022 winter-spring season. There have been nine cold spells since late December, the coldest of which caused temperatures in Lao Cai to drop to minus two degrees. In March and April, average temperatures across the country would be about 0.5 degrees lower than normal, meteorologists say.
Frost at Y Ty Commune in Lao Cai Province. Photo: Zing
In addition, the cold spell at the end of February plunged temperatures in neighboring Lao Cai province. Heavy rain also fell in the area of Heaven Gate, O Quy Ho Pass, and some municipalities in Bat Xat and Bac Ha district. The outside temperature in the O Quy Ho area remained minus two degrees Celsius all day on February 20.
“I was lucky enough to admire this magical landscape on Mount Fansipan. This is the first time I saw natural ice with my own eyes and stood under such cold weather,” Van Anh, a tourist from Ho Chi Minh City, told the reporter.
Frost covers the mountainous areas of Vietnam. Photo: Zing
Ice and sleet are likely to cover mountainous Sa Pa, making the breathtaking landscapes reminiscent of Europe. According to the Lao Cai Province Center for Hydro-Meteorological Forecasting, the ice will remain for several more days, attracting more visitors to the province.
The severe frosty weather would represent a major opportunity for tourists and locals, who could offset heavy losses in agricultural production with tourism revenues, according to the Hanoi Times.
